Darth Vader Build

[WVTurboLTX]

Decided to start my own thread on my build now that I am making progress.

For the last 15 years my whole family and all my friends bled yellow. I didn't know anyone that didn't ride a skidoo. I had a 98 Touring E 380 fanner as my first decent sled. After that was an 02 MXZ 500 adrenaline that I ran for a few years. Then when I graduated college I bought, the first brand new machine that I ever owned, a 2007 MXZ XRS 800. That was, and still is, a great sled after some shock calibration issues. It was light, and handled great. The crank went out on that at 6500 miles and it now has around 10k on the odometer. I was looking at getting one of the new DI 800s from Doo for this year to make my primary sled and keep the XRS as a backup or a ditch banger. The more I thought about it I wasn't crazy about rebuilding engines every 6000 miles so I started looking at 4 strokes. On a trip to the UP last year my buddy wrapped his 08 MXZX around a tree on day 2 of a 2 week trip. He went out looking at sleds the next day and came back to the hotel with a 14' XTX SE. I took one ride on that thing and knew right away I was jumping ship. Out of the box I felt more confident in the corners and could run faster on that sled. I was surprised that it really didn't feel any heavier while riding it than my Skidoo. It didn't have the top end of my 2 stroke but out of the hole and corner to corner it was just as fast. Since I was going to keep the 800 as a beater I decided to build something that would be a really comfortable high mileage cruiser so I spring ordered an LTX DX. I had plans from the start to turbo it, Yamaha offering the discounted MPI system for spring order sleds was a no brainier.

So here we go....

Picked it up on 10/11



I didn't even have it off the trailer yet and I decided the decals had to go. I think it looks WAY better all black.



The first step was 144 megabites in singles and doubles with FastTrac Airlite XL backers.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

Next up was the wiring for my accessories. I didn't want to splice into the factory stuff for my gps or my helmet plug in because I didn't know what size circuits they were, I wanted both to be constant hot and didn't want to mess with the fuses under the hood if my helmet shorts out and takes out the gauges with it or something. I added 2 circuits straight from the battery with inline fuse holders.



There was plenty of room to run them along with the other wires heading down the tank.



I ended up using a plug in from a skidoo for the helmet power.



Just like anything I add accessories to I only use Deutsch connectors. They are waterproof and reusable.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

I got the Garmin Zumo, the boost gauge and the AFR gauge all mounted up they way I wanted them.





I wired the gauges to the same power as the outlet on the dash so they would be switched power then eliminated any unneeded wires and brought everything together into a single 12 wire connector so it would still be easy to take the hood on and off.



Here are the two harnesses on the sled side. Left is factory hood connection and the right is mine. I still have a few more wires to add to this once I figure out where I'm mounting the sending unit for the boost gauge.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

On to the turbo. I got the call from the dealer on Christmas eve that the kit arrived. Merry Christmas to myself!!



I'm really impressed with the quality of all the components of this kit. MPI really knows what they are doing. I can see why Yamaha chooses them.



After 8 hours yesterday I finally got the turbo mounted on the sled. I still probably have another 4-6 hours before it's complete. You have to relocate everything on the sled but the directions are all really clear on what you need to do so it's not bad at all.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

A couple notes on the turbo install. MPI moved the bungs for the O2 sensors to the outlet side of the turbo on the muffler. No big deal and this is actually a better location for them. They are more accurate when they aren't subjected to the high pressure that you would get on the inlet side of the turbine. What I did run into though is the bung for the aftermarket gauge wasn't drilled out with a cap on it. It just had the bung welded to the pipe. I had to carefully take a 5/8 drill bit down through it to drill the hole being careful to not bang up the threads. I'm not sure why it was like this. The directions show that it should be drilled and have a plug in it that you can just remove and screw in the aftermarket O2 sensor.



The other thing that I ran into was the #20 torx screws that hold on the heat shield above the exhaust header must have been put in with an impact wrench. 3 of them came out no problem. The other two were a complete bitch. I broke 3 torx bits trying to get them out. The only way we got the last one out was for me to lift up on the front of the heat shield and wiggle it back and forth while my friend put pressure on the rim of the screw with a pair of channel locks. Not sure why AC put these in that tight....

Hopefully I get the rest of it wrapped up on Wednesday. Then I just need it to start snowing. I'll keep updating this as I go along and though the winter on how it's running and holding up.

I'll throw in a picture of the toy box while I'm at it. LOL

 

[Diamond Driver]

WVTurbo LTX
I have almost the same story. Got my Red LTX DX the first of around the first of Oct. and ordered the turbo kit as sone as I got the letter from Yamaha. Finally got my kit on Christmas Eve also. I did have a little head start because I had printed the install info. and had it tore down to the point of needing kit parts. Had a hell of a time with the heat shield bolts too. I ended up loosening them with a sharp chisel. I also recommend getting a new gasket for the exhaust header to turbo connection. They don't send a new one with the kit and I have never been able to get those soft graphite gaskets to come back apart in one piece. Other than having a pinched vacuum line behind the TB it went really well. I had to take it across the field once (no snow) I could not believe the power. Looking forward to a great winter. Hope yours goes as well as mine did.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[WVTurboLTX]

WVTurbo LTX
I have almost the same story. Got my Red LTX DX the first of around the first of Oct. and ordered the turbo kit as sone as I got the letter from Yamaha. Finally got my kit on Christmas Eve also. I did have a little head start because I had printed the install info. and had it tore down to the point of needing kit parts. Had a hell of a time with the heat shield bolts too. I ended up loosening them with a sharp chisel. I also recommend getting a new gasket for the exhaust header to turbo connection. They don't send a new one with the kit and I have never been able to get those soft graphite gaskets to come back apart in one piece. Other than having a pinched vacuum line behind the TB it went really well. I had to take it across the field once (no snow) I could not believe the power. Looking forward to a great winter. Hope yours goes as well as mine did.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Luckily the graphite gasket stuck to the header not the muffler so I was good there. The layers of that thing are like razor blades though. I ran the top of my finger across it by accident and it cut the hell out of me.

 

[MrSled]

Why not post this in the Build Section or Sled Garage? Do you mind if we move it?

 

[WVTurboLTX]

Why not post this in the Build Section or Sled Garage? Do you mind if we move it?

Oops. Didn't realize there was one. I only ever look at this section of the forum. You can move it.

 

[yamahamm]

Cool sled, and its super nice in all black
Wath atv an bike is it?

 

[WVTurboLTX]

Cool sled, and its super nice in all black
Wath atv an bike is it?

The bike is a 2002 Harley FXDX that I built the engine in from the crank up. 115 HP and TQ to the wheel. Custom paint, powder coated everything, digital gauges.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

The ATV is an 88 Suzuki LT250R that runs on 110 leaded and castor oil. I bought that as a pile of scrap for a project a while back. Rebuilt it completely. New crank, race porting, shaved head, billet clutch basket, all new chassis bearings. Thinking about selling it. I never ride it anymore now that I have the Harley.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

If you haven't noticed there is a common color scheme with everything.

 

[WVTurboLTX]

You can't see it all the way in that back but I do still have the very first sled I ever rode back in 1991. It belonged to my neighbor and when he sold it I had to pick it up. It is my next restoration project. I thought it would be something cool to keep. One day if I have kids maybe they'll ride it. It's a 1980 Enticer 300. It still runs but the primary sticks on it now. I haven't had time to look at it. Started on a Yamaha 24 years ago and here I am full circle. This one is a bit nicer though...

 

[yamahamm]

That harley is the coolest i have seen I do also want a old yamaha too restore, i am looking for a exiter 440 but its hard to find one here in norway. I started my sledding on a exiter 440 but sold it